World Rapid and Blitz Championships - Live!

by ChessBase
12/30/2021 – One of the most anticipated events in the chess calendar, the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship, is taking place on December 25-31 in Warsaw, Poland, at the PGE Narodowy Stadium. Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 15.00 CET (9.00 ET, 19.30 IST). | Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

Day 2 - Blitz

One of the most anticipated events in the chess calendar, the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship, is around the corner. The open and women’s championships that have been held concurrently since 2016 will take place on December 25-31 in Warsaw, Poland, at the PGE Narodowy Stadium. Traditionally, the participants will fight not only for titles and glory but also for substantial prize money. (See full regulations: Open | Women’s).

The reigning champion in all three formats (classical, rapid and blitz), Magnus Carlsen, is heading into the event as a clear favourite, but his old and new rivals are eager to challenge his supremacy. Can Magnus repeat his triumph of  2014 and 2019 and win a double-crown?

Read the full preview...

Live games and commentary

Open

 
Loading...
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
Connecting to server, please wait...
Load selected games
Clear
Click here to login with your free ChessBase Account and type chat below.
Click here to login with your free ChessBase Account and type chat below.

Women’s

 
Loading...
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
Connecting to server, please wait...
Load selected games
Clear

Commentary by WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili and IM Lawrence Trent

Open

  • Rapid - 13 rounds with a time control of 15 minutes plus 10-second increments per move
    • December 26: Rounds 1-5
    • December 27: Rounds 6-9
    • December 28: Rounds 10-13
  • Blitz - 21 rounds with a time control of 3 minutes plus 2-second increments per move
    • December 29: Rounds 1-12
    • December 30: Rounds 13-21

Women’s

  • Rapid - 11 rounds with a time control of 15 minutes plus 10-second increments per move
    • December 26: Rounds 1-4
    • December 27: Rounds 5-8
    • December 28: Rounds 9-11
  • Blitz - 17 rounds with a time control of 3 minutes plus 2-second increments per move
    • December 29: Rounds 1-9
    • December 30: Rounds 10-17

In both sections, rounds kick off daily at 15.00 CET, except on December 30 when the final day of blitz will begin one hour earlier, at 14.00 CET.

Links

Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

jakaiden jakaiden 12/30/2021 06:07
Yes they should! Otherwise they will all die.
Raphael Comprone Raphael Comprone 12/30/2021 04:27
Shouldn't masks be required during the games? It would be safer considering the infectivity of the Omicron variant.
ChrisHolmes ChrisHolmes 12/30/2021 02:45
Why can't they connect the TV broadcast to the DGT electronic boards so we can see on a board diagram what's happening without worrying about awkward camera angles, or people wandering in front of the camera ?

Why doesn't the TV broadcast have access to results as soon as the games finish, & an updated leaderboard ? After each round finishes, the commentators seem to be totally clueless, or in the dark, about the impact of individual game results on the state of the tournament.

What happened during the Rapid when they lost contact with all of the boards ?

It all seems very amateurish to me. The organizers need to pick on a system that works & then stick to it, so that the set-up doesn't need to be re-thought every year, as seems to be the case at present. Part of that set-up should be real-time access to the state of play on each & every board, & not a vague look around the playing hall to see whether any games are still playing.

& does Lawrence not realise that he constantly cuts Keti off, monopolises the broadcast & prevents her from commentating ? Her viewpoint is every bit as valid as his. If it were a question of playing strength, then there a lot of people (including females) with higher ratings than Lawrence who could do the job, & aren't playing in the tournament.
Eclipse2008 Eclipse2008 12/30/2021 07:22
The official broadcast FIDE channel in youtube needs a real improvement in how they operate the cameras. They keep changing the camera angles...so annoying. In blitz, viewers want one closeup view to follow the game. At least commentators can suggest to the cameramen. But Lawrence seem to be is dumb to this.
Aighearach Aighearach 12/29/2021 06:36
@tympsa " I am not complaining about tiebreak rules, sound fair: two best are playing some blitz games"
There were 4 best, not 2 best.
These tiebreak rules mean the lowest rated players advance, which is rather odd for a championship.
Who cares if they're tired? That's what champions are made of.
tympsa tympsa 12/29/2021 08:34
It is good to have new young winner. It is even better this winner beat champion on chessboard . And he was only one who could do it during 13 rounds. I am not complaining about tiebreak rules, sound fair: two best are playing some blitz games, it is better than Berger or smth else to decide champ .
Every player knew the rules before championships. If someone did not like it, noone twisted their hand to play at all . Nepo did some quick draws, who forced him ? Perhaps he would have beat Caruana and won clean, but he even did not try to score against Caru. Carlsen blundered drawish endgame, wanted to beat Abdusattorov at any cost and let white passer go too far, well, who forced him ? Earlier he had opportunity to draw, he did not use it .

15 rounds would be too much considering one round sometimes lasted more than 1,5 hour. Tiebreaks between two best is normal. Imagine round robin tiebreaks between 4 tired players, it would be nightmare, they would be playing all night long.

It was a good championships, some very interesting games. and we have new young rapid champion. Lets hope blitz will be good as well
Green22 Green22 12/29/2021 06:37
Why did they change the format from 15 to 13 games? clearly is didn't workout - this horrible ending with a 4 way tie for 1st and only 2 can play lmao because of tiebreaks...
Aighearach Aighearach 12/29/2021 05:02
What an awful result, the lack of tiebreaks really puts an asterisk next to the "winner." It cheats the winner out of the chance to gain victory, offering instead the honor of being selected as champion from among a strong field of people who did as much to earn it.
fixpont fixpont 12/28/2021 11:55
@Ryonen: women quota... no really, there is no point to put female commentator to cover a chess event and yet... you can see this everywhere
Ryonen Ryonen 12/28/2021 07:23
Lawrence does 90% of the talking. What point is there in having a second commentator when the first one monopolises the discussion?
Aighearach Aighearach 12/28/2021 05:27
Your inconsistent game widget doesn't list it, and actually doesn't list Jobava or Carlsen's 9th round games, either (prgramming is hurd!) but the game from round 6, Jobava - Carlsen did not disappoint! Don't let the result fool you. Jobava took real chances from the opening to create an interesting game. It was amazingly accurate for rapid; average centipawn loss of 5 for Jobava and 6 for Carlsen!

I don't understand where Carlsen found the motivation to play such an interesting game against an old hand like Jobava, especially since it is the rare game where the fans want his opponent to win. Everybody loves Jobava! Baadur creates his own motivation from whole cloth via interesting positions and wild moves.
Minnesota Fats Minnesota Fats 12/27/2021 11:53
@leavenfish if it's a draw, the champion remains the champion, i read... So i guess Carlsen might agree many draws ;)
Alexandru27 Alexandru27 12/27/2021 05:41
@Leavenfish: +7
Leavenfish Leavenfish 12/27/2021 03:38
In all future tournaments, I kind of hope to hear that before the start of their game someone said to Carlsen, "If you do not feel 'motivated' we can agree to a draw right now".
Minnesota Fats Minnesota Fats 12/26/2021 06:09
yes and even Nepo is playing!
Theochessman Theochessman 12/26/2021 04:41
Is Magnus playing?
1
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.